Compare towns
Newfields vs Portsmouth vs Lyme vs Exeter
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against New Hampshire.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Newfields has the highest household income ($198k).
Portsmouth has the most renters (48.1% rent).
Lyme has the most people working from home (27.2%).
Exeter has grown the fastest since 2010 (+12.2%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Newfields | Portsmouth | Lyme | Exeter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,023 |
22,545Highest |
1,710Lowest |
16,151 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.3% NH: +4.6% |
+5.7% NH: +4.6% |
+1.7%Lowest NH: +4.6% |
+12.2%Highest NH: +4.6% |
| Median age | 44.1±1.8 about the NH average |
42.9±2Lowest about the NH average |
48.6±7.8Highest 12% above NH |
45.8±2.3 6% above NH |
| Lyme and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.9%±1.6 NH: 18.2% |
14%±1.9Lowest NH: 18.2% |
19.5%±3.4Highest NH: 18.2% |
17%±2.7 NH: 18.2% |
| Lyme and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 13.6%±0.9Lowest NH: 20.1% |
21.9%±2.4 NH: 20.1% |
26.5%±2.8Highest NH: 20.1% |
24.4%±2.8 NH: 20.1% |
| Lyme and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 68.1% NH: 40.6% |
64% NH: 40.6% |
70.1%Highest NH: 40.6% |
59.2%Lowest NH: 40.6% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 7.5%±7.2Highest NH: 6% |
3.8%±1.2 NH: 6% |
3.3%±1.9Lowest NH: 6% |
6.1%±1.8 NH: 6% |
| Newfields and Exeter are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $197,885±$15kHighest 100% above NH |
$106,219±$7kLowest 7% above NH |
$133,906±$15k 35% above NH |
$110,346±$13k 11% above NH |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $646,400±$34k 61% above NH |
$688,500±$39kHighest 71% above NH |
$645,000±$64k 60% above NH |
$456,600±$21kLowest 13% above NH |
| Portsmouth and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,875±$323Highest 26% above NH |
$1,869±$111 25% above NH |
$1,418±$130Lowest 5% below NH |
$1,856±$223 24% above NH |
| Newfields and Portsmouth are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,018Lowest 20% above NH |
$10,000+Highest at least 50% above NH |
$8,814 32% above NH |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 43.3%±40.8Lowest NH: 48.2% |
50.4%±7.2 NH: 48.2% |
52.8%±29.8 NH: 48.2% |
59%±11.3Highest NH: 48.2% |
| Exeter and Lyme are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.4%Lowest NH: 7.2% |
6.8%Highest NH: 7.2% |
4.4% NH: 7.2% |
4.7% NH: 7.2% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 95.3%Highest NH: 72.8% |
51.9%Lowest NH: 72.8% |
80.5% NH: 72.8% |
69.1% NH: 72.8% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1991Highest 12 yrs newer than NH |
1959Lowest 20 yrs older than NH |
1977 2 yrs older than NH |
1979 same as NH |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 minHighest 4% below NH |
22 min 17% below NH |
21 minLowest 22% below NH |
25 min 7% below NH |
| Work from home | 25.5%±3.7 NH: 16.8% |
21.9%±4 NH: 16.8% |
27.2%±5.4Highest NH: 16.8% |
19.9%±3.7Lowest NH: 16.8% |
| Lyme and Newfields are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #11 of 120 in NH | — | #22 of 120 in NH |
| School district | Newfields School District | Portsmouth School District | Lyme School District | Exeter Region Cooperative School District · Exeter School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Portsmouth High School | None in town | Exeter High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.4Lowest |
— | 12.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet | 59 photos → |
NH average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.